Chicago – December 06, 2024
A U.S. federal appeals court has upheld a law requiring ByteDance, the Chinese company behind TikTok, to sell or give up control of the app in the U.S. by early next year or face a ban.
The ruling is a major win for the U.S. Department of Justice and those who oppose TikTok, raising the possibility of an unprecedented ban on the popular social media app used by 170 million Americans. The decision is likely to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Free speech groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) quickly criticized the ruling. Patrick Toomey from the ACLU argued that banning TikTok would violate the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans who use the app for free expression and communication.
The appeals court defended the law, saying it was designed to address national security concerns about foreign control, particularly by China. The law gives ByteDance until January 19 to divest its U.S. assets or face a ban.
If the Supreme Court does not reverse the ruling, the future of TikTok will be decided by President Joe Biden, who may grant a 90-day extension, and then President-elect Donald Trump. TikTok believes the Supreme Court will reverse the decision on First Amendment grounds.
